FSHS starts strength and conditioning program June 8

In a hopeful sign for the 2020-21 school year and high school sports, Fort Stockton High School will open its annual Summer Strength and Conditioning program on Monday, June 8. “The UIL came …

Canter hits the ground running as ISISD superintendent

Tracy Canter is the new superintendent of the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District, replacing Michael Meek, who retired upon her hiring by the school board. “The first thing that really jumped out at us was the high excellence and tradition of excellence for education in Iraan,” Canter said. “I'm from West Texas, so I'm familiar with the school districts and communities.”

AG OFFICE: COVID-19 cases among inmates do not count toward county's total

The Texas Attorney's General Office said today that inmates at prisons who test positive for COVID-19 will not be counted toward a county's active case total, according to Pecos County Judge Joe Shuster. The decision has a major impact on Pecos County, as 65 inmates – officially termed "offenders" by the state – at the Texas Department of Criminal Justices' N5 Unit in Fort Stockton have tested positive for COVID-19 and are active cases. Without the decision, Pecos County would have 67 active cases and exceeded the threshold of three active cases per 1,000 people (45 active cases) that would require the county to roll back to Phase 1 limits of 25% capacity for local businesses. Instead, Pecos County is down to two active cases (#25 and #28 below) and has 28 confirmed cases with 26 recoveries.

Gov. Abbott clears state for Phase 3 of reopening

Gov. Greg Abbott announced his third phase Wednesday of reopening Texas businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing virtually all of them to operate at 50% capacity. That is effective immediately, and there are "very limited exceptions," Abbott's office said. Restaurants were already permitted to be open at 50% capacity. Abbott is allowing them to immediately increase their table size from six people to 10, and on June 12, they can ramp up their capacities to 75%.

Local News

Pecos County officials await answer from Governor on how to respond to confirmed COVID-19 cases within TDCJ N5 Unit's offender population

Late Friday night, officials in Pecos County learned that 65 cases of COVID-19 had been reported among the offender population at the Texas Department of Criminal Jutice's N5 Unit in Fort …